Daily Resource Highlight - 11/01/2021

Posted by on November 01, 2021 at 10:23 AM

Below are the highlights and featured resources of this past week’s Daily* Resource.

October 26, 2021 - Voting in America: Is There Room for Improvement?

I live in a state with a big upcoming election, so voting is on my mind right now. As with most elections in this country, I fall into thinking of my choice as more or less “Democrat” or “Republican.” Technically there are other candidates, but the “wasted vote” argument is persuasive to me, and none of them have a chance of winning in this election. But are there better ways? 

Some Bridge Alliance members think so. 

The Center for Election Science champions Approval Voting, which allows voters to vote for as many candidates as they want. You can learn more about Approval Voting at their Ask Us Anything Townhall, which is taking place tonight @ 5 PM ET / 2 PM PT.

Others are more focused on making voting as easy as possible. In my state (and now in the clear majority of states according to Ballotpedia), no-excuse mail-in ballots make voting very straightforward. Advocates like Amber McReynolds of the Vote at Home Institute want federal legislation that would make voting that simple for all Americans. Similarly, Danielle Brian of POGO believes “elected officials should bend over backwards to...ensur[e] that every American can cast a ballot without missing a day’s pay, traveling hours, or worrying that their vote won’t be counted.”

Is vote-by-mail the solution? Does it raise legitimate concerns about ballot security? Are there other proposals -- either in the way we vote or how our vote is counted -- that are a better fit for individual states and/or our nation?

I’m asking these questions with genuine curiosity. As you know, I’m not here to tell you what to think, but rather to inform you about your options. Because unlike Tuesday’s election in my state, there could be more than two legitimate possibilities in the near future.

October 28, 2021 - Do You Know an Impressive Young Person? Also, a Humble Ask

We rarely, if ever, ask for money in this newsletter. But we’re doing a lot, and we could really use your support. We now have a media platform in the Fulcrum; an events hosting platform with Citizen Connect; and several other projects, while also continually supporting the mission of the Bridge Alliance’s 100+ members and partners.

Doing all of this is expensive, and so we are humbly asking for you to help keep us going as part of our matching campaign. From now through Sunday, any contribution you make will be matched 1:1 by one of our generous benefactors. It doesn’t have to be a lot; every bit helps. And if you know anybody who might be interested in our work, forward them this email!

Semi-relatedly, our work often leads to us learning about tremendous opportunities, which we then pass on to you. On November 12, the American Academy of Arts & Sciences is co-hosting “The Youth Agenda for American Democracy Summit.” This will be a gathering of young leaders (ages 18-29) who will work on the defining issues of their generation, which will then be presented to lawmakers. They are asking for nominations through Monday, November 1st.

If you know of a young man or woman with “[a]n outstanding record of place-based democratic and/or civic engagement, community activism, or social entrepreneurship,” nominate them today! This is a wonderful opportunity for them to be part of an elite group of young leaders whose voices will be heard by our representatives.

Separately, and as much as I am growing tired of the campaign ads, there are a number of impactful elections upcoming. You can get a strong preview of them with Ballotpedia.

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